Micro-Finance Volunteer Projects in Senegal

Projects Abroad works closely with street children in Senegal, known locally as Talibés. These young boys are sent by impoverished and rural villagers to religious boarding schools where they receive no formal education and are forced to spend much of their time begging for scraps of food and small change. With two care centres already set up in St Louis to help these children with their day to day lives Projects Abroad now aims to help these children secure a sustainable future for themselves through small scale entrepreneurship.

This Micro-finance project will provide the older Talibés with small loans which over time and with guidance they will reimburse. Following complete reimbursement new candidates will then be selected.

Projects Abroad is currently supporting these children through our care projects, with a variety of programmes including education, hygiene, healthcare and sports and over time we build up strong relationships with many of the children. This close contact will allow you and our local staff to select the most suitable candidates to be eligible for a small loan.

Micro-Finance Opportunities with Projects Abroad in Senegal

On a daily basis you will be involved in tasks like reading through business plans, developing marketing strategies, managing loan accounts, monitoring the Talibés who have already received loans, conducting weekly workshops and providing general guidance and support. If there is an area in which you would like to focus in particular then it is important to let our local staff know.

Through this project you will gain a unique insight into the process of developing small businesses in a foreign country and how micro-credit can help disadvantaged young adolescents find their way out of poverty and become self-supporting independent adults. You will spend time in a completely new environment, learning about a different culture and way of life. It will be a rewarding as well as a challenging experience.

As a volunteer you will work in the Projects Abroad Micro-finance office alongside a dedicated local team helping to ensure that the Talibés are given a chance to make a future for themselves. This is an opportunity that has never been presented to these children before and we are proud to be instigating this pioneering project.

The Micro-finance project runs all year round so you can join at any time. You do not need any prior experience but it is important that you have a keen interest in this area and are flexible, communicate well and are willing to learn. It is also advisable that you take an additional Wolof language course, either before or during the project, so that you become familiar with the local Senegalese language which is widely spoken by the Talibés.

You can join the Micro-Finance project in Senegal for two or three weeks if you don't have time to join us for four weeks or more. This project has been selected by our local colleagues as being suitable for short term volunteering for both the host community and the volunteer. Although you will gain a valuable cultural insight and work intensely within the local community please be aware that you may not be able to make the same impact as someone volunteering for a longer period.